Rajya Sabha polls 2020: BJP-led NDA crosses 100 in India’s Upper House

The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) gained a significant advantage in the Rajya Sabha results 2020 last week, with his party the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) winning eight of the 19 seats across eight states.

With these win, the NDA has 101 MPs in the 245-member Council of States where the majority mark is 123. Notably, BJP has 86 MPs alone and Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) is sitting at 65 MPs. So, with support from friendly parties like the AIADMK (9 seats), BJD (9 seats), YSR Congress Party (6 seats), and several allied nominated members, PM Modi is unlikely to face any serious numerical challenge in the House going forward.

Among major winners were Jyotiraditya Scindia from the BJP, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh and former Jharkhand chief minister Shibu Soren. Earlier, former PM HD Devegowda and 3 other candidates in Karnataka as well as one candidate in Arunachal Pradesh were elected unopposed.

The Election Commission had announced biennial polls to 61 seats, including 55 in March, but the process was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

- TIN Bureau